CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Jahmir Young scored 28 points and Julian Reese had 20 points and 11 rebounds to lead Maryland to a 76-67 victory Sunday over No. 10 Illinois, the 10th time this week a team ranked in the top 10 of the AP poll has lost.
Maryland (11-6, 3-3 Big Ten) outscored Illinois 39-28 in the second half, taking the lead for good on a dunk by Reese with 15:32 to go that made it 47-46. The Terrapins, who were 8 1/2-point underdogs according to FanDuel Sportsbook, won a road Big Ten game for the first time this season.
Marcus Domask scored 26 points for Illinois (12-4, 3-2) and Luke Goode had 13. Coleman Hawkins, who had scored in double figures in seven straight games for the Illini, fouled out with 2:50 left. He had eight points and seven rebounds.
Maryland came in focused on slowing down the 6-foot-10 Hawkins at both ends of the floor.
“He’s a matchup nightmare on offense,” Terps coach Kevin Willard said. “So we decided to pound the ball inside to Julian (Reese) and make Hawkins defend that instead of switching to the perimeter. We knew that would wear him out eventually.”
Illinois coach Brad Underwood took the blame for the loss.
“Maryland deserves all the credit. Every ounce of it. It’s my fault for not getting these guys in the right frame of mind defensively,” he said. “Now we can join the crowd. Every other top-10 team lost this week to an unranked team. Doesn’t make it feel any better.”
The Illini shot 22.5% (9 of 40) from the field in the second half.
A jumper by Domask got Illinois within 68-65 with 1:09 to go, but Maryland responded with a 6-0 run to put the game away.
Illinois led 39-37 at halftime thanks to Dain Dainja scoring seven straight points for the Illini in the final 1:28. Those were his only points of the game.
Illinois is 3-2 in five games without star Terrance Shannon Jr., who has been suspended by the university because he’s facing a rape charge in Lawrence, Kansas.
Shannon sought a temporary restraining order Friday in U.S. District Court in Springfield that, if granted, would force the university to reinstate him to the team. Judge Colleen Lawless promised to rule “in an expedient manner.”
Shannon will arraigned on the rape charge on Jan. 18 in Lawrence. The trial isn’t expected to begin until June.
BIG PICTURE
Maryland: The Terps improved to 2-11 in road Big Ten games since last season, their first under Willard. They prevailed Sunday by giving the Illini fits inside, scoring 52 points in the paint against the nation’s No. 2 team in defending 2-point shots.
Illinois: With seven teams ahead of them in the AP Top 25, including No. 1 Purdue, No. 2 Houston and No. 3 Kansas, losing this week, the Illini were poised to make a leap in the poll. Not anymore.
NOT SO HOME SWEET HOME
Illinois fell to 9-2 at home as its seven-game win streak at the State Farm Center ended.
DEFENSE WINS
It was strength vs. strength with Maryland’s defense against Illinois’ offense. The Terrapins came in allowing 63.3 points per game, 19th in the country. Before their 71-68 win Thursday over Michigan State, the Illini averaged 99 points per game in wins over Missouri, Colgate and Northwestern.
GREAT SCOTT
Maryland’s Donta Scott scored nine points and has scored in 116 consecutive games. The fifth-year senior was last held without a point on March 3, 2020 at Rutgers.
LAST TIME
In the teams’ previous meeting, then-No. 22 Maryland beat then-No. 16 Illinois 71-66 on Dec. 2, 2022 in College Park.
UP NEXT
Maryland: At Northwestern on Wednesday.
Illinois: At Michigan on Thursday.
